Deeper Devotional

Read Mark 12:28-34; Luke 6:27-38

Often we ask, “How do I go about sharing the gospel with others?” There is no formula. Each person is unique, with different needs and different problems. But there are some good principles that can be helpful.

First of all, we need to recognize that faith is a gift from God. It is not up to us to convince a person that they need to commit their lives to Jesus Christ. It is the work of the Holy Spirit that brings them to that realization. (2 Thessalonians 2:13; Titus 3:3-7)

So where do we start?

A first step can be to build a relationship with them. It is always important to be a good listener. Statements like, “Tell me about your family!” “Tell me about your work!” or “You have a great-looking yard. What do you do to keep it up?” all open the door to a relationship. Listen for the subjects that they like to talk about and ask them questions about what they’re interested in. Also, listen for any circumstances or problems that they’re struggling with. Express genuine concern for their plight. These are opportunities for you to offer to “pray for them this week.” The statement provides you with the opportunity to come back to them later and ask how they are dealing with a problem they expressed previously.

Look for opportunities to serve your neighbor. Bring them food in times of family illness. Offer to lend tools that they may express a need for. Consider cutting their grass while they are on vacation. Volunteer to be part of a community watch program.

The point of all this is to genuinely care for your neighbors in a way that provides you an opportunity to speak into their lives. As they open up to you about life situations and struggles and as you pray for them concerning these issues, look for opportunities to share with them from your life experiences in your walk with Christ. As you pray for them and as you speak of your life examples, you point them to the person of Jesus Christ.

In ongoing conversations, explore with them their own spiritual walk and thoughts about God. You don’t have to argue with them but rather share with them your understanding and experience of who God is and what He has done in your life. At some point, invite them to attend church with you and introduce them to your friends there. Invite them to attend a small group with you. Invite them to attend an Alpha class with you where they can hear a simple but comprehensive presentation of what Christianity is all about and where they can freely ask questions.

Sharing the gospel with our neighbors is not as hard as we make it out to be. Satan would like for us to believe otherwise. And, in turn, we receive a great blessing as we see the Lord work in the life of another person. Yes, it takes time. Yes, it takes intentional effort on our part. But it is well worth the effort. I once heard a person tell about his experience in leading a neighbor to Christ. He said that, after it happened, the thought came to mind, “Lord, this is so good! When can we do this again?”